Horse and Pony Measurements

The pony on the left measures 12 hands high (h.h.), while the horse on the right measures 17.2 h.h. Each hand contains four inches. A horse can be 15 hands, 15.1 hands, 15.2 hands, 15.3 hands, but never 15.4 hands tall. If a horse measures 15.4 h.h. then it is actually 16 hands high.

You pronounce a 13.2 h.h. pony as “thirteen two hands”, a 14.1 h.h. pony would be “fourteen one hands”, and a 16.3 h.h. horse would be “sixteen three hands”.

Difference Between Ponies and Horses

The difference between ponies and horses is their height. Ponies are no taller than 14.2 hands high (58 inches) at the withers, while horses are taller than 14.2 hands high.

Pony Heights Explained

The shortest a horse can be is 14.3 hands high (h.h.); otherwise it is categorized as a pony.

Small Pony

Medium Pony

Large Pony

How Do You Measure the Weight of Horses & Ponies?

Learn How To Measure & Calculate the Weight of Horses

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Please note this is an educational tool to teach kids about estimating a horse’s weight and it does not consider the physical differences between individual horses and ponies. If a more accurate weight is needed, use a livestock scale with the help of a veterinarian.

Weight

There are times when it is important to know how much a horse weighs, such as when figuring out how much feed, dewormer, medicine, or supplements are the correct amount for the size of the animal.